Rhododendron rugosum Low ex Hook.f.

Shrub or small tree to 8 m, mostly terrestrial but also found epiphytically; young stems rather scabrid at first with brown scales that quickly fall. Leaves 6–10 × 3–5.5 cm, ovate or broadly to narrowly elliptic often strongly concave, the apex broadly pointed or shortly acuminate, the margin entire and slightly reflexed, the base broadly cuneate to rounded; upper surface with strongly impressed midrib throughout its length and about 8 pairs of strongly impressed laterals, at first brown-scaly above but very quickly glabrescent; below all veins distinct and strongly raised, with a moderately dense covering of dendroid brown scales which fall off at a touch and in old leaves may only be found in protected corners. Umbels 8–14 flowered, the flowers hanging or half hanging; calyx a low scaly and hairy ring; corolla pink to purplish pink (rarely reported as red), tubular campanulate, 2.5–3.5 × 2.5–3 cm, with fine white hairs on the tube and hairs and scales on the lobes, the scales sometimes grouped at the base of the lobes; stamens 10, irregularly arranged but predominantly on the lower side of the mouth; ovary densely white-hairy and with some silvery scales, style glabrous. Royal Horticultural Society (1997)

Distribution  Malaysia Sabah and N Sarawak?

Habitat 2,000–3,500 m

RHS Hardiness Rating H2

Conservation status Least concern (LC)